How To Discover Who You Really Are
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Photo by Mikail Duran on Unsplash
When you look in the mirror, who do you see?
Do you see someone that is beautiful and made in God’s image? Or, do you see someone that needs to lose some weight, a complexion that is blotchy and hair that never seems to cooperate?
When someone gives you a complement, what do you say?
Do you believe them and say, “thank you”? Or, do you deflect the complement and think to yourself, “it couldn’t possibly be true; they’re just saying that to be nice right”?
When you read God’s Word and you see, “You’re fearfully and wonderfully made,” how does it make you feel?
Do you feel loved and cherished? Or, does your heart feel defeated?
Self-image is defined as the idea, conception, or mental image one has of oneself.
How we see ourselves is vital to not only our happiness, but a vital part of being able to live a fulfilling and prosperous life filled with purpose–the purpose our Heaven Father put in our heart to fulfill.
I shared with you in a post about our self-worth that I had such a low self-worth that I married my first husband just because he liked me even though I knew he wasn’t the best match for me.
Why was my self-worth so low? Because I saw myself as average looking, unaccomplished woman who didn’t have enough going for her that I couldn’t expect any better. This caused me to believed this could be my only “shot” at love–so I took it.
Ephesians 2:10 AMP
For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
I love the way the amplified expounded on Ephesians 2:10!
It's so easy to see ourselves as broken creatures. But, in actuality, we're His own master work, a work of art.
And, because of Jesus, we're spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used for good works.
He's prearranged a good life for us. We just need to choose to believe that and walk in it.
"As His artwork, who are we to criticize the master's work?" Ray Edwards podcast “The Devastation of Toleration”
Thank you Father we're your master work!! Beautiful in your sight in every way!
You will not change your self-image naturally. You can only change it when you purpose to change it and then take action to change it.
How can we change a poor self-image? We need to find out who we really are so we can see ourselves as we truly are.
I’m going to give you one step today with more to follow.
Photo by Igor Ovsyannykov on Unsplash
Step One: Start with your Creator
What does He say about you(Genesis 1:27). Study His Word to see.
Psalm 139:13-14 NIV
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Here’s some scriptures to get you started:
Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
For He knows the thoughts that He think toward me, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give me a future and a hope.
Ephesians 2:10 NKJV
For I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that I should walk in them.
1 Peter 4:10-11 NKJV
I have received a gift, minister it to others, as a good steward of the manifold grace of God.
Romans 8:15 NLT
So I have not received a spirit that makes me a fearful slave. Instead, I received God's Spirit when He adopted me as his own child. Now I call him, "Abba, Father." (Abba means daddy or papa. He’s your Daddy Father.)
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
For God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Feel free to look these up in other translations to get a different perspective. I personally love to use, Amplified (AMP), New King James Version (NKJV), New Living Translation (NLT), New American Standard Bible (NASB), New International Version (NIV), and sometimes even ones like the Message or Young’s Living Translation.
Next post we’ll help you with more way you can change your self-image (self-concept) and see yourself as who you really are–a masterpiece.
Discussion
What’s your favorite verse(s) that reveals who you really are? Share with us below.
Resources
Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely book by Lysa TerKeurst
Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely, Study Guide by Lysa TerKeurst Study Guide
(Lisa shares heart-felt stories of rejection and how she learned to embrace who God’s created her to be. This is a powerful book. The study guide will also guide you through a journey of questions you may not think to ask yourself.)
The 4:8 Principle: The Secret To A Joy-Filled Life by Tommy Newberry
(This book has an excellent section on our self-concept and our thought-life, which is vital to how we see ourselves)